Chiamata per il morto

It is surprising that a film made in London during the late 60s wouldn't expose at least a part of the swinging town it was.In fact it exposes a dark, terribly somber atmosphere. Mr. Freddie Francis' wonderful photography and Lumet's masterful direction of the terrific cast makes this adaptation of the John Le Carre novel both interesting and thoughtful. It succeeds in showing, as Lumet aimed, life's disappointments... it seems that bitterness, vengeance and discontent are the motivations to all characters.

It's a simple plot that unravels with so much complexity, you will be amazed. A British Intelligence Agent tries to solve the mystery involved behind one of his colleagues' apparent suicide. Soon his wife comes along and... well, you really don't want me to tell you... :)

It also features one of the greatest soundtracks in film history, with a smooth use of Quincy Jones' bossa nova theme song, which Astrud Gilberto sings in the movie's most fierce love (?) scene.

A gloomy (and gloomily lit) but very interesting spy thriller of the 60's,with a fine performance by James Mason(as Charles Dobbs,but George Smiley in all but name),and good support from Simone Signoret(convincing as a Concentration Camp survivor),Harry Andrews,Kenneth Haigh,Roy Kinnear and Max Adrian.As an answer to the artificial,antiseptic glamour of the James Bond extravaganzas,THE DEADLY AFFAIR works very well for the most part,with an intelligent script compensating for the occasionally over-prolonged and too static dialogue exchanges between the principals.The production is set,deliberately,in dismally unattractive,murky interior and exterior locations around London,though this oddly gives the film more atmosphere,and is also helped by a haunting score by Quincy Jones,one of the best and most criminally underrated of his career.

The film only drags a little in a sub-plot involving Mason's nymphomaniac wife,played somewhat uncomfortably by Harriet Andersson.The film would have worked equally well if not better had Ms Andersson been a decent,devoted spouse,and Maximillan Schell is given little to do as an old wartime colleague (and as it turns out,yet another of Mrs Dobbs' lovers) of Dobbs.But for the most part,American Sidney Lumet does a first-class job as an outsider's look into British/European espionage,and it grips solidly throughout.

RATING:7 and a half out of 10.

James Mason, Maximillian Schell, and Simone Signoret star in "The Deadly Affair," a 1966 Sidney Lumet film based on the John LeCarre novel, "Call for the Dead." It's a George Smiley story, but the character names are changed because of rights issues.

James Mason is Charles Dobbs, a British agent who wants to know why a government employee committed suicide after he received security clearance. The government had received an anonymous letter about him having ties to Communism. Dobbs interviews him and learns that the man was interested in Communism as a young man only and gives him clearance. He then learns the man committed suicide. Not satisfied with the verdict, Dobbs leaves his job in order to investigate further. Meanwhile, he has problems at home with his sex addict wife (Harriet Andersson), who is involved in an affair with an old friend from the war (Schell).

This is a very dark drama set in England, which looks mighty bleak in this film. Mason plays the world-weary Dobbs very well. Signoret is excellent as the victim's wife, a concentration camp survivor. She's an intriguing character, but in the end, it's not a very big role.

Mason is ably supported by Harry Andrews, Kenneth Haigh, and Robert Flemyng. The climax of the film takes place at a strong performance of Edward II, in which Lynn Redgrave has a role. Corin Redgrave also appears in the movie.

Good drama - if I had more familiarity with George Smiley, I could say more. I don't. I can't.

You've been conversing with a man, later he's dead, a suicide, but you need to close the thread, so you visit his cold wife, find out more about his life, but the yarn is frayed, you can't put this to bed. You're resigned to make your own examinations, retired copper then assists, investigations, you pursue the clues, prepare, a cunning trap so you can snare, a red flag spy, using your guile, and circumspection.

Even today it plants you back into the time of its enactment, you feel the frostiness of the times, as well as the emotional disconnection, encapsulated in a world of mistrust. James Mason plays a himself, as so often he did, Simone Signoret the unemotional widow, Harriet Andersson not in a Bergman film is a bit strange, and who'd want to meet Harry Andrews on a dark, misty night if they'd been up to no good.

If you enjoy bleak British spy films made in the 1960's then this movie will be right up your street, as they don't come any bleaker than this one. James Mason stars as Dobbs a British Intelligence Agent who is investigating the apparent suicide of a Civil Servant with whom he had spoken with only the day before. The bleakness begins from the very start of the film when Dobbs, in the pouring rain, goes to see the civil servant's wife who is played by Simone Signoret. As the investigation proceeds we also witness the marriage situation of Dobbs (sadly not a happy one). Harry Andrews plays a retired police Inspector who is helping Dobbs with his enquiries and their investigations take them to some rather grim areas. We also encounter a very seedy character called Scarr played by comic actor Roy Kinnear. Lynn Redgrave briefly appears in this film as a member of a drama group. It was about the same time that Mason and Redgrave also starred together in Georgy Girl - a much different film. Overall, I thought it a very good drama with the bleakness adding to the atmosphere of the movie.